The National Assembly adopted on first reading the draft laws on the budgets of the State Social Insurance Fund (SSS) and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for 2026. The plan of accounts was successfully voted on in the plenary hall thanks to the support of „Progressive Bulgaria“ and DPS, while the GERB-SDF, „Democratic Bulgaria“, „Continue the Change“ and „Vazrazhdane“ formations voted „against“. The debates lasted for hours and became an arena of sharp economic and political accusations between the ruling majority and the opposition.
Main macroeconomic parameters in the budget
Both sectors are recording significant growth in their expenditure, driven by inflationary indexations and income increases.
Budget of the Pensions and Social Payments Agency
Total expenditure: 15.2 billion euros, of which 13.5 billion euros are specifically earmarked for pension payments. Pension Indexation: Expected increase from 7.8% according to the classical “Swiss rule“. New pension levels: The minimum pension for long service life becomes 347 euros, the average reaches 543 euros, and the maximum – 1738 euro. Осигурителни прагове: Минималният осигурителен доход се вдига на 620 евро, а максималният осигурителен праг нараства на 2300 евро. Държавни служители: Въвежда се изискване чиновниците да заплащат сами 20% от своите осигурителни вноски, а държавата като работодател ще поема останалите 80%.Бюджет на НЗОК (Здравеопазване)
Общ бюджет: Достига рекордните 5,256 милиарда евро, което представлява ръст от 8,5% (или 412,3 млн. евро повече) спрямо 2025 г.. Здравна вноска: Размерът се запазва на 8%. Перо „Болнична помощ“: Направлението ще разполага с 2,342 милиарда евро. Separation of medicines: For the first time, medicinal products are separated into two separate budgets – one for original products and second for generic drugs.Positions and comments of political forces
The clash in the hall is centered around the increase in the maximum social security income and the burden on business.
Labor Minister Natalia Efremova defended the estimates, announcing that they fully guarantee the social rights of citizens. She emphasized that a more serious increase in payments for mothers and the unemployed would require an immediate increase in taxes, which the cabinet does not support. Milen Trifonov („Progressive Bulgaria“) pointed out that the gradual raising of the minimum social security thresholds is a legitimate and analyzed tool for a real fight against income evasion. Levent Ali Apti (DPS) argued the support of his parliamentary group with the need to restore the sustainability of public finances against the backdrop of the European excessive deficit procedure launched against the country. Denitsa Sacheva (GERB-SDF) sharply criticized the texts, arguing that the budget punishes the open economy at the expense of the gray sector and places an additional burden on decent technicians and machine operators. Her colleague Vladislav Goranov defined the transfer of the social security burden to civil servants as a fiscal mistake. Martin Dimitrov („Democratic Bulgaria“) reproached the importers for changing the insurance thresholds without a prior impact assessment and risking the growth of the shadow economy in the poorer regions. Anna Bodakova (DB) added that the middle class is being used as an “ATM“. Georgi Georgiev („Vazrazhdane“) accused the government of „hitting the poorest, mothers and the unemployed“ by depriving new pensioners of historically accumulated supplements. Assen Vassilev („We continue the change“) criticizes the fact that the minimum pension remains below the official poverty line, which condemns ordinary citizens to deprivation.Expert analysis and business positions
Financial experts and representatives of employer organizations expressed deep reservations about the sustainability of money for health and pensions.
Lyubomir Datsov (Fiscal Council) commented critically that 20 years later the social security system remains unfinished, and costs are growing steadily, while their efficiency is decreasing. He reminded that the budget does not contain reforms and relies excessively on transfers from the state treasury. Tsvetelina Spiridonova (KRIB) drew attention to the discrepancies in the expenditure side of the budget, which put pressure on business even before the maximum social security income was raised. Atanas Katsarchev (KT „Podkrepa“) noted on behalf of the unions that the current health care model of the „money-patient“ type definitely does not work well and insists on a change in financing. Petar Chobanov (sub-manager at the BNB)warn that the economic model is based solely on consumption, and is not sustainable without structural reform.What's ahead?
According to the proposal to manage this plurality, deputies namalikha term for proposals between the first and second times on 5 days itself. Prez tosi period politicite sili se zanesokha yes They will make corrections in the text, beforehand and get involved in the final admission not to the plenary hall.